York travel guide — York tourism and travel information

York travel guide

about York

York is a city in the north of England built at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss. In 1991 the city had a population of 123,126. Its geographic coordinates are 53°57' North, 1°05' West.

York is the traditional county town of Yorkshire, to which it lends its name. However, it did not form part of any of the three ridings of Yorkshire. The modern City of York, created on April 1, 1996, is a unitary authority and an administrative county in its own right. As well as York itself, it includes a number of neighbouring parishes which formerly belonged to the surrounding districts of Harrogate, Ryedale and Selby. It borders on North Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

The city is over 2,000 years old, and has a rich Roman and Viking history. The historical aspects of York attract a great deal of tourism. York is also known for its chocolate factories, and is home to the University of York. The city sometimes suffers from flooding.

York history

York is renowned for its history, which is preserved in its architecture. The city was founded over 2,000 years ago, and for much of the intervening period has been the main city in the North of England. Every year, thousands of tourists flock to and 20 Scheduled Ancient Monuments in its care.

For the Romans, York ("Eboracum") was a major military base; Emperor Septimius Severus died there in 211 AD, and Constantius Chlorus, the father of Constantine I, died there in 306. In York, Constantine's troops proclaimed him emperor.

A "great Viking army" captured York in AD 866, and in 876 the Vikings settled permanently in parts of the Yorkshire countryside. Viking kings ruled this area, known to historians as "The Viking Kingdom of Jorvik", for almost a century. In 954 the last Viking king, Eric Bloodaxe, was expelled and his kingdom was incorporated in the newly consolidated state of England.

On March 16, 1190 a mob of townsfolk drove the Jews in York to corner them in the fortified Clifford's Tower, which was set alight. The Jews committed mass suicide by fire rather than face the inquisition of the hostile locals. It is an early happenstance of jingoism within England due to King Richard I of England's request for Jewish involvement in his personal finances for the Third Crusade. Because Prince John attempted to take England from his Plantagenet base in Angevin France by using these funds (which later prevented a ransom from being paid for the King), those who applied for loans had justified the attack as the result of unresolved loan disputes caused by foreigners and otherwise traitors on the Prince's side. York, populated by relatively simple people, has been notoriously poorer than London, which perhaps made the assault more understanding from a situational viewpoint, when they were exposed to Scottish raids from the North.

York Minster is the largest medieval cathedral in England, and dominates the city's skyline, while surrounding York's centre are the city walls, built by Henry III in 1220.

Another popular tourist attraction is the Shambles (York), an old street with overhanging timber-built shops, now occupied by souvenir shops as opposed to the original butchers. York is also home to numerous Ghost Walks where tourists can learn about York's folklore.

Near cities to York

• Ripon travel guide 34 km
• Leeds travel guide 36 km
• Wakefield travel guide 40 km
• Bradford travel guide 47 km
• Sheffield travel guide 70 km
• Preston travel guide 87 km
• Manchester travel guide 93 km
• Blackburn travel guide 95 km
• Kingston upon Hull travel guide 96 km
• Durham travel guide 96 km

Near webcams to York

• Leeds webcam 35 km
• Middlesbrough webcam 67 km
• Bridlington webcam 85 km
• Ashton-under-Lyne webcam 86 km
• Manchester 1 webcam 95 km
• Manchester 2 webcam 95 km
• Nottingham - East Midlands webcam 110 km
• Nottingham - London Road webcam 110 km
• Newcastle webcam 120 km
• Cheshire webcam 120 km

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York travel services

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York real estate

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York travel books

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